"AHHHHH!" Juno charged forth at the Giant, cutting off it's head and retrieving the stone. "Damn it!"

Thor's friends moved in, keeping any giants from getting close to their fallen friend. Several Giants came to take the stone from Juno however.

Juno didn't have enough time to dodge a Giant which came up from behind her, wrapping his arms around her causing her to drop her scythe.

She wiggled, "Let go!"

One of the other giants grabbed the stone and took off with the others. The one that held Juno suddenly went rigid before it's grip loosened and it fell to the ground. Loki pulled his dagger from the back of it's throat and then began to make his way to the fallen Thor with the others.

Juno fall onto her side and lay there for a few seconds.

"Meow." Brutus called pawing at her.

"I'm ok... Just got the wind knocked out of me." She got up and followed Loki. "Thanks."

Loki didn't say a word, he stopped a few paces away from the others, watching as Thor took in shuddering breaths.

"Common Thor, let's get you back. They'll fix you up in no time" Volstagg tried to prop him up on his shoulders but the attempt at moving only caused Thor to scream in pain until he put him back down.

"He has no wound" Siv stated, looking very confused. There was no blood, nothing and yet Thor clutched his chest as though stabbed.

"It is a wound of the soul" Hodur observed with a deep frown.

Thor took a few deep breaths, "did we get... the stone?" he asked.

"...No." Juno chirped up, rubbing her arm. "Loki, if we get the stone... can we fix him?"

"I believe so" Loki replied, though his voice was a touch quieter than normal.

"Brother" Thor's voice was strained, "you must... for Azgard"

Loki gave a half hearted chuckle, "don't Thor"

"I cannot... rule Azgard... as such" Thor continued between breaths.

The slight smile faded completely, "Thor. I'm serious. Don't do this." Loki stated firmly.

"For once I agree with the snake" Fandral commented

"There is... no one... else..." the fair king's eyes rolled back.

"We will find someone else" Loki demanded, "Thor, THOR!" but the azgardian had already slipped unconscious.

Juno's sand cat grew very large, "There is no time to waste. Return Thor to Azgard. Keep his condition quiet. I'm going Giant hunting." She said very seriously, "We divide and concor." She said, making it clear half should take Thor home while the rest go after the stone.

"I'm not sure that's necessary" Siv commented, unsheathing her sword and pointing it at Loki's chest, "I think this was another one of your plans, so why don't you go ahead and call them back here with that stone?"

Loki looked back at Siv impassively, "One of my plans? To risk murdering Thor? You really don't know me at all Siv."

Fandral and Volstagg seemed to be on like mind however and unsheathed their own weapons, "You tried to kill Odin" Fandral pointed out, "why not Thor?"

"Stop this foolishness! Can't you see how Thor's state is effecting him? Loki is not the man you once knew. You let past judgments and not current events cloud your judgment. The longer we wait, the more we risk Thor's life." Juno said stepping in between them. A very serious and warning tone to her voice. This was pointless. Loki had tried to save Thor when the stone was used. These warriors were wasting time.

"Step aside girl" Siv warned, "You do not know him as we do"

"I've seen you fight" Fandral glared at Loki, "You half-a**ed this one. What did you kill, perhaps two frost giants from the whole?"

"And he was with them the whole time to" Volstagg added, "It just don't add up"

"He is and always has been, a snake" Siv nodded.

A faint chuckle escaped Loki's lips, one that grew into half-crazed laughter, "Yes! Very good, all of you! I planned it all. I gave Byleistr the information he needed to travel between worlds, I even staged my own capture and rescue so no one would suspect me. Play the victim and I think I played it well. All Byliestr had to do was retrieve the stone and take out Thor, leaving me as the sole heir. Then I grant him the bifrost in the name of peace and the realms live happily ever after under my rule. It's brilliant isn't it?" he stepped forward, allowing Siv's blade to press against his chest, she looked just about ready to run him through with it to but Loki wasn't finished talking, "So damned, foolishly brilliant that I can't even stop it. I couldn't stop them from getting the stone-in fact they destroyed the bloody staff in the process, turning it from wounding to potentially lethal-and he decides to use it anyway." he reached up to grip the blade, to keep Siv from removing it as it pointed at his heart, "So go ahead, do it. Kill me-we're out in the middle of nowhere, who's going to tell? You'll probably get a medal when Odin awakes."

"I know when time is being wasted! And Call me girl again and we'll see just how well your neck is holding onto your-." Juno hissed, though her shoulder lowers slightly when Loki started laughing. When he was finished she looked at Siv, "Loki can help us. Run him through if you want but when this is all over and Thor is once again healed. I will tell him the truth."

Hodur placed a hand on Siv's hilt, "regardless of his actions, you cannot kill the King of Azgard" he stated

"This worm is the reason Thor lays in the sand" Siv growled, "He has earned only his death over and again!"

"And his judgement will come" Hodur spoke softly, "but not at our hands this day."

Rather begrudgingly Siv made to pull the sword away but Loki still gripped the blade. It dug into his hand, causing blood to fall into the black sands of Svartalfheim. Siv paused and looked at him questioningly until finally Loki loosened his grip and let his hand fall to his side again. There was a broken look in his eyes that was getting harder and harder to hide as the newly pronounced king turned his back to them.

"Another thing." Juno punched Loki in the arm, "Not cool..." She moved closer, "You aren't yourself are you?" She asked referring to his actions.

Loki stared hard at his hand, watching the blood flow down and drip to the sand below. He didn't care if he died, the realization had just dawned on him. In fact, he had literally just asked for it. "If not me, then who might I be?" he wondered quietly. The weight of all these things he had done never really bothered him this much before but now it was as though the misdeeds etched at his heart. He had been right in it all though, hadn't he? They were the ones who had betrayed him in the start, he had only been defending himself-and sometimes the best defense was a good offence.
He had only been trying to survive in a world where no one could be trusted.

"Oi." She shook Loki. "I know you're not quite yourself but I need you to focus. Are you coming to hunt or are you going with your brother?" She asked firmly.

Loki blinked and then turned his eyes to her, "Hm? Ah... I'm afraid I won't be much use to you. Go."

She mounted her familiar, "Anyone coming?" She asked.

"Aye" Volstagg nodded along with Fandral and Hodur. Siv elected to stay behind and take Thor back to Asgard, along with possibly protecting him from whatever Loki might be up to.

Juno helped them on, "We ride." She said as the rather large cat took off.

They searched far and wide and even found a few frost giants that had gotten lost in the retreat but none of them carried the stone.

Siv and Loki took Thor back to Azgard, where Heimdall seemed less than pleased at the fact that he would have to allow Loki to pass.

It was over 3/4th of a day later when Juno and the 3 warriors returned to Asgard, weary and tired from the long search.

Juno hated returning without anything but they would do no good wandering around aimlessly. The search gave her time to think. It would break Ceres' heart to learn that Loki had returned to his old tricks; aiming for the throne of Asgard once more. Whenever Ceres talked about Loki, there was a wide smile and her excitement over how he was truly becoming a great man...She didn't know if Ceres was blinded by their connection or by her stubborn attitude toward others.

Regardless, this would crush her...

It seemed that having the extra time helped Loki recollect himself and the mask of indifference he usually wore was back in place. He had changed clothes but only a little bit, surprisingly enough it seemed that he preferred some of the things that Pietro had made him. However most of those clothes were more Midgard casual so he had added an elegant cloak to it that screamed royalty. Not to mention the fact that he now had Odin's staff in hand but he did not sit upon the throne, rather, he stood in front of it, looking down at them as they returned.
"I do not see triumph among you" observed the new king.

"They vanished; possibly returned to their realm or continued onward to wherever they were going in the first place... We tracked down a few of them but none held the stone." Juno may have been tired but her face still read her unimpressed feelings toward Loki pulling this stunt though she would not express it any more than she had already done so.